To Start Anew
by PixelatedWriter342
Summary: "Why?" A favorite question of mine. And one I was currently attempting to answer. Hesitation, however, seemed to be against the idea of that. A quagmire quickly filled my thoughts, muddling them enough to where I noticed a pair of brown eyes inches from me. Those beautiful brown eyes belonging to a doe of unquestionable magnificence. Maybe, the answer is right in front of me...
1. Hail to the King

**Humble Beginnings**

" _We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"_

 _-Winston Churchill  
_

* * *

An empty void, filled with a strange, ever-shifting spectrum of color was all that existed... _until_. Out of seemingly nowhere at all, a box filled with text appeared. Its presence an anomaly of something in the normally blank expanse. The void then shifted around to accommodate for the box's existence within the void. The void sneered at the box, trying to eliminate it from its quiet haven. The box, however, chose to stay in what was taken by the void as if it was in spite. The void eventually gave up on trying to oust the newcomer, already tiring rather quickly of that particular path of frustration. Instead, the void let the box stay, hoping it would leave soon after. Until what the box was waiting for appeared.

 **Welcome!**

 **Congratulations on completing the beta!**

 **You have a choice between the following paths to continue your journey:**

 **-** _ **Your Fairy Tail**_

 **-** _ **Foxes of many tails**_

 _ **-A Galaxy far, far away**_

 _ **-Under the Bat Signal**_

 _ **-Other**_

 _'What?'_ Thought a disembodied voice. _'Last I remember I was… what was I doing? I, I don't remember anything!'_ The voice all but screamed in panic, ' _Why can't I remember?'_ The voice sounded as if it once belonged to a young man. Panicked shrills taking the place of what was once decipherable speech. Someone of the age of twenty, the voice should've belonged too, a baritone barely fleshed out. _'Why is there a glowing box!?'_ The voice went on, _'Wait, how can I see? Or maybe I'm not seeing. Maybe, just maybe, this is some sort of isolated item in an empty void! Something I see, yet no one else can see. As if it is a personalized projection.'_ The voice went on, almost crazed in its sound, never stopping for hadn't any need for breath. Something, in its worried state, it failed to notice. Its short spurt of mania most likely due to a lack of information or an overload of information.

After calm, relaxing, and self-soothing (yeah right) ramblings; the being took a detailed note of the glowing square in front of it. Its glow, violet with the intensity of a neon sign. Its words were puzzling to the disembodied being which beheld it within its gaze _. 'Beta? Is this a game? Wait, how do I know that term!? I don't remember anything! Except… maybe I do? Maybe I was pulled into this, uh, space! To accomplish something. To accomplish something within one of these worlds. Wait are they even worlds? It said paths, but somehow I drew the conclusion of them being entire worlds. Not merely paths that I could take.' It_ pondered on this for a short while before a new box transplanted itself into the seemingly empty void. It was startled enough to draw a gasp of surprise; or what could be called one anyway. The new box's glow was red, not too dissimilar to that of blood.

 **For guessing correctly, you have earned the following rewards:**

 _ **Stat points-+4x (At character creation)**_

 _ **Perk slots-+1 (At character creation)**_

The new box, smaller than the first, gave much-needed information to the disembodied voice. _'So, I_ do _need to accomplish a task. What task, however, I have no clue.'_ The voice hummed in thought as he, at least it thought he was a he, pondered the text set inside the first box. He believed to understand a few of the paths listed but couldn't remember how. ' _The second to last and last ones are intriguing, as is the second from the top. But the first one listed,_ _ **Your Fairy Tail**_ _, seems like it's calling to me. Even with its obvious typo. Or_ is _it a typo? Ugh, I don't know anymore.'_ An exasperated sigh was released into the blank space he was in. He felt a pull, a certain gravitas forcing him to center his non-corporeal eyes upon the first "path" listed. His mind stretched out toward the option with a small _~Click~_ being his only immediate response. After a time of waiting, not helping his ever-growing anxiety, the first box disappeared. A new one taking its place, this new box being colored vibrant blaze orange. _'I think I know that color…'_ The being thought off-handedly. In the box, its text read:

 **Congratulations! You have picked:**

 _ **-Your Fairy Tail**_

 **You may now begin "Character Creation"**

The box then disappeared, and once again a new box took its place within the blank space provided. Yet again, the box changed colors. Now appearing in a royal blue, almost navy, in color. This box gave him options in the form of this "Character Creation" he was informed of mere moments ago.

 **Character Creation**

 _ **-Name**_

 _ **-Appearance**_

 _ **-Stat allocation**_

 _ **-Perk/talent selection**_

 _ **-Backstory**_

 _ **(ERROR)**_

 _ **-Magic**_

 _ **(ERROR)**_

He scrutinized the list before him. _'Why is magic an option? And why do I feel so… blasé about that? Isn't magic supposed to not exist, or maybe it is?'_ He pondered this, all the while trying to decipher the meaning of the _**(ERROR)**_ signs underneath the _**Backstory**_ and _**Magic**_ options. _'Maybe the_ _ **(ERROR)**_ _signs mean that I cannot choose this as part of my "_ Character Creation _".'_ He was once again greeted with a sight of another box. This one holding a slightly different text than the last one of its kind. This box's color was a rather plain purple, which greatly surprised him. All of the other boxes had been a more bright, almost oppressively so, color. The fact that this particular box broke the pattern strangely unnerved him.

 **For theorizing correctly, you have gained:**

 **+1** _ **Int**_

' _Well, that's useful, although why didn't it give me what it did before? And what is **Int**? Did it give me more the last time, if it_ was _more, because it was the first thing I guessed correctly? Or did it give me more due to the importance of what I guessed?'_ He quickly cleared his thoughts before selecting _**Appearance**_. Another quite strange and out-of-place _~Click~_ was heard ringing throughout the almost completely empty void. What came up was a slightly smaller box that outlined all of the aspects of creating an appearance. Something which strangely (or was it strange?) unsettled him.

 **Welcome to the appearance screen!**

 **In this, you'll be able to customize your looks for when you're 19!**

 **You will look like a smaller and less defined/matured version of this look when you're younger. And an older, more matured version when you've aged!**

 **-Eyes**

 **-Nose**

 **-Hair**

 **-Height**

 **-Facial structure**

 **-Facial hair**

 **-Skin color**

 **-Gender (Locked-Male)**

 **-Voice**

 **-Exit/Confirm Changes**

If he had a face, a look of shock would be present. When he looked at everything, he was relieved when it said that the gender was male. He didn't remember much but he knew he did _not_ want to be a girl. Periods, from what he's heard, were not pleasant. When he _~Clicked~_ eyes it showed a multitude of options from eye color to eye shape. He proceeded to choose golden eyes flecked with brown. Almost like his pupils were cocooned within amber; preserving them from harm. He then chose the nose option. Choosing to have a defined, slightly upturned nose with an almost constant, yet barely noticeable, nostril flare. The next option he chose was the hair option, where he was once again able to choose from a plethora of choices. He made his hair color raven black with streaks of red, inspired by the black void surrounding him. Although the touch of red was more "spur of the moment". He then made his hair short and wild. Lightly cropped as to just barely leave any hairs to roam free from the top of his head.

He then chose a respectable height of 6'1". A good height for being tall yet not oppressively so. He sculpted his face to a painstaking degree, wanting to look realistic, yet ruggedly handsome. He gave himself high cheekbones and a grin rather than an all-out smile. A roguish look for sure. Although one could argue that was the point in the first place. He decided to not have facial hair, vain as it may be, he wanted people to see his rather handsome face.

The skin color was one he debated on internally for quite some time. _'Should I have the color of mocha or light tan? Decisions, decisions…'_ He finally had decided to have a light tan. Something along the lines of one who played in the sun for long periods of time. He looked down at the bottom towards the voice option. He had wondered while making the other aspects of his character, whether or not to have a deeper more baritone voice as he holds now. Or to have a tenor that, while not squeaky, was a little on the high side. _'I have narrowed it down to a few options. One, a pre-pubescent boy voice for the rest of my life. Or two, a soothing baritone the consistency of chocolate milk. Hmm.'_ After a passionate and heated inner debate, he decided on the deeper of the two voices. Shocker.

In a rather backwards fashion, _this_ is when he decided to name himself. ' _I have a vague memory of… German? Yes, I think I was German. Or, Germany?'_ He slowly, almost robotically, input his name into the text box.

 _ **Jaeger Sygandr**_

 **Confirm Name?**

 **Y/N**

 _~Click~_ He confirmed his name with little hesitation. A light sigh could be heard as he did so. _'I feel so detached. So… emotionally_ broken, _I hope this is only a temporary condition. Actually, now that I think about it since I'm going to be going_ into _a new world. I will probably attain or make my own memories and feelings will form from them afterwards.'_ Once again that strange box appeared, saying much the same thing as the last time.

 **For theorizing correctly, you gained:**

 _ **+1 int**_

Ignoring the "pop-up" within his vision, he shifted his gaze over to the main text box. And selected " **Stat Allocation".** What appeared was a list of initials that could only be his stats. Whatever those were. Although this text box was different in appearance. It was, instead of one solid color, a myriad _spectrum_ of color. Constantly shifting with seemingly no pattern.

 **Welcome to the Stat Allocation screen!**

 **Here you can select stats to upgrade and improve!**

 _ **Jaeger Sygandr**_

 **Level- 0**

 **Gender- male**

 **Age-?**

 **Stats:**

 **Dex-(0)**

 **Str-(0)**

 **Cha-(0)**

 **Wis-(0)**

 **Int-(2)**

 **Luk-(-1,000)-Locked**

 **Mag-(0)**

 **Stat points- +34**

 _ **Perks:**_

 _ **N/A**_

 **This is also known as your profile and can be checked whenever you are in a place of rest/state of rest. Stops time for the duration. You may** _ **not**_ **check your stats and see what's happening in the outside world. You will also not be able to move during the perusal of your stats. You will not be able to allocate any stats until certain levels have been reached. The first levels of this are level 25, level 50, level 75, level 100, and level 250. Note: you will get stats every time you level up, however, only when you reach a milestone will you get to use said stat points. Stat are important, yet cannot go further than your body or mentality can handle.**

' _Wait, I have negative 1,000 luk! And it's locked! I don't even know what Luk is and I'm scared beyond belief!'_ The newly named Jaeger thought before he shifted his attention toward the bottom text. _'I suppose it is only fair that I would not be allowed to exploit time manipulation like that. But not being able to allocate stats when I level up does make things more difficult for me. Not to mention the small number of stats I get to put in.'_ Jaeger thought. _'Now what would be the most_ important _stat to upgrade? Actually, what do those initials mean?'_ Jaeger internally questioned. And as he did so the system gave him a bone. A small text box appeared, carrying a list of the stats and their properties. Jaeger was _not_ disappointed.

 **Stat meanings:**

 **Dex-** _ **Dexterity and speed of oneself, how masterful one is at magic, adds stamina 2x (per point)**_

 **Str-** _ **Strength, and endurance, adds stamina 1x (per point)**_

 **Cha-** _ **The overall charm and appeal of someone, how deceptive, creative, and how good one's acting is**_

 **Wis-** _ **The perceptiveness and cleverness of someone**_

 **Int-** _ **The intelligence of someone, the knowledge one has and the ability to theorize**_

 **Luk-** _ **The luck someone has, positive is good luck, negative is bad luck**_

 **Mag-** _ **The magical capability of someone, damage and amount of magic**_

Jaeger couldn't help but be baffled by the still relatively new revelation of magic. His initial thoughts were confusion then the picture started to come together. _'That's why there was a magic option! Though why this option was locked makes me nervous to no end.'_

He quickly proceeded to clear his head and put his stat points into his "priority 1" stats (a haphazard list, barely made before being put into use, trying to objectify the stats and their uses). His confidence was high, yeah no, as he proceeded to put his flawless (imperfect at best) plan into motion. He put a total of 10 points into _**Wis**_ _,_ _ **Cha**_ _,_ and 8 points into _**Int**_. With 6 points left he split the points evenly amongst _**Mag**_ and _**Dex**_. He felt a strange sensation throughout his currently incorporeal body, it felt as if he had grown smarter, wiser, stronger. This rush left him in slight euphoria before he regained control of his mind and body. _'What the…? How? Did I somehow change with my stats?'_ He felt as though the change was, in fact, real. Yet couldn't know for certain. Jaeger regained his composure shortly after. Deciding it was merely how someone if they learnt everything instantly, would feel. _'Well, merely didn't seem to fit the description of the experience all too well.'_ He idly thought.

He once again heard a subtle _~Click~_ when he pressed the **Perks/talents** option. What popped up was a strange web of interconnected circles; all but a few blank or dull in appearance. A light glow, that held the color of silver and gold within its clutches, emanated.

It had three current areas to choose from, each in a little segment that held 3 choices. Branches spreading outward from each area and or segment. One segment of the web was labeled **Light Fingers**. The _talents,_ or what Jaeger presumed to be talents, in it were: _**Lockpicking, Ambidextrous,**_ and _**Sprint**_. The next segment was titled **Tactician's Mind**. The _talents_ it beheld within its translucent walls were: _**Observant, Underneath the Underneath,**_ and _**Commander**_.

The last one left him slightly puzzled. It read; **Will Unbreakable, and Heart Unshakeable**. He couldn't figure out its name and why the name apparently fit in the perk selection. That is until he read the talents associated with it. _**The nobility of Knights, Patience of the Hunter,**_ and _**Loyalty of Guardians**_. This made him virtually quirk his brow as he mused. _'What is this? Does… does this… change my personality?'_ His curiosity peaked once he received another notification from the strange texts he's somehow grown accustomed to.

 **For theorizing correctly based on the evidence before you, you gained:**

 _ **+1 Wis**_

His thoughts confirmed, he began the necessary debate of what two **Perks** he would choose from. _'Some of these options seem as if they could be gained by merely performing the action. Although I think that would be too easy… no. You would have to_ successfully _accomplish the task or have the personality traits/abilities to have them.'_ His thoughts then wandered to a seemingly insignificant portion of text shown on a small, vacant portion of the web.

 **Perk slots-+2**

With the information before him and his theory of the perks system; he finally decided. He once again heard the oh so sweet _~Click~_ as he pushed his thoughts to his favored perk. Tactician's mind then expanded in his view. Allowing a closer view of the three options not shaded out.

 **Welcome to the** _ **Talents**_ **section of the** _ **Perks/Talents**_ **selection menu!**

 **You've selected:**

 _ **-Tactician's Mind**_

 _ **Tactician's Mind**_ **includes the following talents to choose from:**

 _ **-Observant; the perceptiveness of a true tactician gives you the ability to notice certain things other would fail to, only applies to sight**_

 _ **-Underneath the Underneath; you have an innate sense and understanding of tricks and the exactness required of deception, only applicable to heard or said things**_

 _ **-Commander; the ability to have a grasp on others' abilities and how they can work as a team, allows an easier time with ordering or understanding orders**_

 **Note: every talent in the** _ **Tactician's Mind**_ **talent selection screen scales with the intelligence score of the one wielding the talent. Also, only one talent per Perk point used can be picked.**

 _'Hmm, all of these have uses in almost every situation. Well, out of the situations_ I _can come up with.'_ He thought for an uncountable, mainly due to the lack of anything to count it with, amount of time. _'Ugh, why does this have to be so difficult?! Why can't there be an obvious choice? Maybe there is a way I can get multiple talents… what did it say?'_ He looked once again at the zoomed in the web of talents in front of him. _'Per perk point… that's it! I can use my two perk points to have two of the three talents instead of one.'_ His epiphany having been reached, he then went into an even longer internal struggle about what _**Talent**_ to pick. He finally chose the following _**Talents:**_ _**Underneath the Underneath**_ and _**Observant**_. In his eyes, the only talents that could help him in his combat plan. Even if said combat plan was barely an embryo brewing in his mind.

A new box then appeared. Its glow a rather calming white. As pure as the white feathers of a beautiful swan.

 **You have now completed your Character Creation!**

 **Would you like to continue on to the next step?**

 **Y/N**

Once more a faint _~Click~_ echoed across the void. Before a feeling so insignificant, he wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for the crescendo of _something_ appearing. Then…

 _ **~Pain~  
**_

* * *

The air smelled of wildflowers as he took a slight inhale. His small amber eyes glinting with joy as a small grin etched itself amid his boyish face. She watched him with attention paid to every move. An obsessive gaze as she leered at him from across the clearing. The roaring hills and beautiful scenery around them made for a picturesque setting. _'He is growing up to be just like his father.'_

A sense of nostalgia crept upon her before she shook those thoughts away. She refocused on him only to find his overly intelligent eyes upon her form. Studying her for a time before that joyous grin found its way back to his face. Her own face lit up in a similar way when he broke out into a sprint; heading to her with excitable determination. She spread her arms wide and welcomed her into the snug grasp only a loving mother could accomplish. She gently proceeded to ruffle his hair as his head rested upon her chest. She could barely make out the jumbled mess of words he mumbled into her.

"I love you, mom."


	2. For He Has Come

**For He Has Come**

" _Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships"_

 _-Michael Jordan_

* * *

A young boy, no older than 7, is seen peering into a lake. The lakes calm waters shimmering in the morning light. Dew beneath his feet wet his bare feet and glistened enchantingly upon the grass around him. The young boy appeared to be deep in thought, a slight frown showing upon his rounded and childish features. Amber eyes were glowering at the water as if it had offended them. His hair a unique blend of black and a deep, dark red streaking across its surface.

"Jaeger! Time for breakfast!" A cheery voice not out of place for a young woman called out.

This broke the newly identified jaeger out of his stupor as he broke into a sprint towards the voice. A young woman with the same amber eyes awaited him at a quaint red door. The door belonged to a house which was seemingly made of stone. Some black, some white, some gray, and others were a hodgepodge of all three colors. The house had a thatch roof as its cover against harsh weather, should any come. A step stone pathway led to the woman who was waiting patiently for Jaeger. Her face contorted into a loving smile, her silver hair swaying softly in the breeze.

"Coming mom!" Jaeger called out in kind to his mother's summons. Light panting could be heard from the rather small-framed boy; the only tell of physical exertion. His small voice somehow cutting through the air as a hot knife would butter.

He wore a pair of tattered shorts bearing stitches in almost every place imaginable. His shirt was a knitted sweater rather than an actual shirt. The chill in the air giving enough reason as to why the abnormality existed. In contrast, his mother wore a nice, albeit worn, dress the color of light turquoise. An apron hanging from her neck, lightly dusted with some sort of white powder.

Jaeger got to his mother, a now heavily panting mess, "Sorry, uh, it took, uh, longer than I thought, uh, to get back," Jaeger breathed out, the light shade of pink marring his face being a clear sign of embarrassment.

"Hehe, it's very alright my little hunter. I would be shocked if you _weren't_ panting like you are," His mother giggled lightly into a cupped hand as she said this, "Though what did I say about leaving the house without permission?" Her light-hearted demeanor soon changed into one that spoke of danger.

"You said not to," The boy responded in a dejected tone. Obviously guilty for he had known the rule yet _still_ hadn't followed it accordingly, "I'm sorry! Will you please forgive me!" Jaeger then continued, a certain level of sincerity echoed from his words. He truly meant what he said.

The woman merely shook her head before opening the door and beckoning Jaeger to step inside. He quickly did so, clearly excited for the promise of breakfast was still in the air. The house, or cottage as it were, had a homely and cozy atmosphere. The smell of wood smoke was a clear sign of the firewood being ignited for warmth. That smell mixed with another Jaeger was clearly familiar with. His eyes lit up as he sniffed the air for what was the umpteenth time; trying to take in the delicious aroma.

The room the door was most associated with was fairly open. Two medium sized chairs, obviously homemade, set camp on opposite corners of the room. Both had hand quilted fabric covering their wooden frames, an impeccable job was done stitching the two's ornate patterns. The floor was wooden and seemed to shine with a dull glow, said dullness reminding the woman to clean again.

The walls were lined with pictures, some drawn or painted, others photographed. In the center of the room was where a table had made its home. It too, like most things in the room, seemed hand carved. An interesting shape was formed at the end of each of its four legs. The round, dark wood table held a lizard-like head on those legs, the faces seemed in a constant scowl. She followed her excitable son into the rather barren hallway. Then into a room not far from, what had seemed to be, the den.

This room held a fairly long table, especially for just two people, and a kitchen area. Said kitchen area already held the attention of a certain young boy, his eyes wide with anticipation. His gaze was held by a steaming plate of a yellow, sponge-like substance. One would easily identify it as scrambled eggs. A smaller plate of meat strips shared in the mouthwatering perfume of the kitchen-dining room hybrid.

"Jaeger, can you help me put the dishes on the table?" His mother asked him expectantly.

Her response was a toothy grin," Yes Mam!" A mock salute put up before he did as he was told.

He dashed for the plate of eggs and carefully picked up the ceramic dish. He slowly made his way to the table, not as fanciful as the other furniture, but it had charm. Its smooth birch wood shined with a brightness, that, once again, reminded her to clean the floors. A brass candelabra sat upon the center of the table, plates, and silverware already in place.

"Now Jaeger remember to use your manners!" She lightly chided in her usual chipper tone, "Yes mam," The same, polite response used before had been repeated but this time with a hint of seriousness. The excitement giving way for an aim to please his mother.

She watched as he tried so very hard to use the fork and knife properly. It was cute in her opinion. His face of determination as he attempted to wield his fork with the precision of a hunter; ironic as it may be. She had to keep from giggling at his comical display of manners. His fork was put in between two fingers like a pair of chopsticks. His knife was held in a way the fork was utterly jealous of. If he was tested on manners, well, let's hope there would have been an effort category.

She then let her thoughts wander as he was busy eating. She thought back to those good times when… when _he_ was still there. When she was in _his_ arms under the starlight. When she found out she was having a baby. When _he_ looked at her with that "I love you smile". Whe- _'Snap out of it Liz!_ He's _gone, no matter if you've moved on or not.'_ Her own harsh inner voice startled her.

"Are you alright?" Asked a child's voice, worry evident as much as the validity of the sun producing light, "Yes Jaeger, I'm alright. Just thinking to my self again," His mother, Liz, hurriedly tried to assuage his worries. A fake, pained smile painted clear as day on her beautiful and youthful face.

Jaeger, however, saw through this little plan at staving his worries. Yet, he kept his mouth shut. He responded with a small grin, "Well if you're okay, I'm okay mom!" His grin had turned into a beaming smile filled with so much love it almost made her cry.

She was then reminded just how sweet and caring her little boy is. His eyes, practically sparkling with love. His mouth, set into an almost constant toothy grin. It was at this point she saw a translucent silhouette surrounding her son. A mop of unruly, short-cropped raven black hair with red streaks. A pair of azure blue eyes and a nigh-constant grin set into his face.

A tear threatened to once again travel down the valley of her face for what was the hopefully final time that day. She silently shook her head of her thoughts as she went back to the present. The sight of an almost _mannerly_ Jaeger interrupted her dazed stated. The fork was this time in a proper grip albeit looking, and most likely feeling, alien to Jaeger's hand. The knife was held in a similar fashion as he calmly tried to cut and eat his eggs. This scene forced her brain to initiate a double-take. _'When had he learned how to do that…? How…?'_ Liz's thoughts incoherently went about the "hows" and "whens" of the situation as she kept Jaeger in her vision.

"Look," He stated after one bite of food was eaten, "I did it, mom! I figured it out! Are you happy now? Please don't cry." Jaeger spoke, revealing this stunt was an attempt to cheer his mother up.

' _Oh, that boy is gonna' be the death of me, I swear…'_ She thought with a smile marring her facial features.

 _Sadly,_

 _Truer words may never have been spoken…_

* * *

I watched as my mom looked at me with that stunning smile I love. My goal accomplished, a feeling of achievement threatened to break through my thoughts. I beat that feeling down into submission as I tried to focus on my mom's happiness. A few training ideas came into my head but I pushed them away with the same level of vigor.

The eggs were once again, the most delicious meal I've ever had the pleasure of savoring. They were creamy but with a hint of richness as an undercurrent. My mouth practically burst with flavor from the first bite, but my mother took priority over self-indulgence. My brain went into overdrive thinking of ways to make her happy until that smile reached my vision. I felt my own smile threatening to split my face open as a response to the radiance practically glowing outward from her. _'If this is how all mothers act, it's no wonder everyone loves their mom.'_ He thought with the innocence of a child. A child that has not seen the horrors of the world.

 _How quaint,_

 _an idealistic child, innocent to anything outside of his home,_

 _how sad,_

 _it won't last to his eighth year of life…_

* * *

"Why do we have to go all the way out here? Can't the boss just get his materials from the locals?" Whined a rather childish voice, muffled slightly from the cloth cowl covering his face.

"Because, obviously, he doesn't want the council to track us, you dimwit!" Said an angered voice belonging to that of a middle-aged man, "I swear if you had a brain it would be a waste of perfectly good space…" Muttered the same voice with venom oozing from his mouth.

Seemingly not noticing his partner's mutterings the other took notice of a cottage in front of them. It was made from stone of different colors. Black, gray, and white being prime amongst them. He smirked under the dark purple cowl clinging to his equally dark purple robes. He glanced to his companion, who had the same outfit though slightly bulkier due to the difference in thier frame, "I think we found our _material."_ He spoke with a sinister glee at the last word in his statement.

His partner looked at him with a visible eyebrow quirk before following his partner's gaze. Then, a slow, painstaking movement was seen underneath his own cowl. A sneer eerily similar to that of his partner's formed on his face. The same malevolent gleam showing in his eyes.

"It seems you're right Oscar, we _have_ found some nice _material_ ," He spoke before moving forward once more, a dangerous determination hidden within his gait. His partner followed suit, a similar although more excited pep was found in his strides, "I do hope they don't mind having a few guests over Xander," Oscar spoke with even more malice seeping out from his breath.

They followed a small cobble path up to a bright red door. The rolling hills of pristine grassland making a beautiful scene for the two's slow journey to the cottage. Its yellow thatch roof gleaming with the sun stationed directly overhead. Yes, a beautiful scene indeed, all that was needed for the two, was a touch of _**red**_.

* * *

The mother and son were sitting in the den. The fireplace in the other end of the house still giving off the smell of wood smoke. Liz sat on one of the chairs, holding a locket in her hands. Its golden gleam shining even in the dim light given off by the covered windows. It was open, whatever was in it held her attention. Jaeger was sitting on the floor being a boy and messing around with a plushie of some kind. It probably once looked like a dog at one point. Though its disheveled appearance hinted at extraordinary amounts of use by the boy in question.

As they were there they heard the faint sound of footsteps outside of their house. A strange noise not unlike laughter… if laughter was haunting in such a way. Jaeger, however, saw a strange box in front of him, its outlines were that of a deep red. It held text within its borders, text that worried Jaeger greatly.

 **!Warning!**

 _ **Incoming encounter!**_

 **Strange sounds were outside your door**

 **What will you do?**

 **A: Hide?**

 **B: Run?**

 **C: See what those sounds are?**

 **Reward for completing encounter:**

 **?**

 **?**

 **?**

 **?**

 **Note: Encounters will happen based on Luk, how you react is entirely up to you. None of the options listed are forced upon you. Should you think of something else you may pursue that course of action. Beware! Not all rewards are pleasant… they might be consequences instead.**

 **Stats**

 **Jaeger Sygandr**

 **Level- 7-(Amount goes up by one every year of life, including any other levels gained)**

 **Gender- male**

 **Age-7**

 **Stat points:**

 **Dex-(7)**

 **Str-(2)**

 **Cha-(15)**

 **Wis-(13)**

 **Int-(15)**

 **Luk-(-1,000)-Locked**

 **Mag-(3)-Locked**

Jaeger looked at the stats shown to him. _'I have absolutely no chance in beating anyone, I'm just a child! My stats reflect that too…'_ To Jaeger, there was nothing worse than not having the ability to protect those he loves. But, his sense of logical reasoning shot down any hope at deterring the newcomers. He subtly glanced at his mother, not noticing the sounds from outside. Her attention was still held by that golden locket. He didn't know what was in it, but he knew it was important to her. That was enough reason for it to be important to him too. He decided to go with a plan that might lead to more harm than good. He stood up and went to the door.

He started to unhook the wooden slab that was locking the door. A crude but effective way to keep out unwanted guests… for the most part. His mother called out to him, "What are you doing?" She queried with more curiosity than anything else.

"I heard people outside, I thought I would let them in, or see what they wanted," He stated in a matter-of-fact tone. She held her gaze on him before sighing. Shaking her head, she pointed to the door and nodded. Taking that as permission, he finished unhooking the door. Only to be greeted with two ominous robed individuals. One had a youthful look but the crazed look in his eyes scared the boy. The one next to the young man, at least that's what he presumed, was someone of a bulkier build. His broad shoulders and tall stature towered over the small boy. A malevolent, rather than manic, look veiled what Jaeger could see of his face.

Their dark purple cloaks and matching cowls were… menacing. A strange mark was seen on the center of these robes. And eye with some equally bizarre writing and markings surrounding it. The tall one spoke first, "Greetings young one! Are your parents around?" His semi-gruff voice grated on Jaeger heavily.

Liz responded instead of Jaeger, "If you must know _I_ am his mother," She responded with mild annoyance evident in her voice.

The two at the door easily peered around the boy to look deeper into the den. They saw a stunning beauty. Amber eyes and silver hair giving her the appearance of an angel. Even with her tattered clothes pointing to her state of ill wealth. She had those same amber eyes furrowing into a glare. The ferocity of it making even an angered lioness pale in comparison, "Now may I know why you two have decided to come to our house?" She asked with polite rage.

The smaller of the two responded, "Well we merely wished to check for something about your son. My sincerest apologies for coming unannounced," The crazed look shifted smoothly into one of seriousness. His form shifting into a bow after he spoke. His purple robes fluttering slightly with the movement.

Liz's brown line shifted upward in a questioning way, "What, pray tell, will you be checking about my son?" She asked in a tone of warning.

"Why checking his magical potential of course!" The larger one responded smoothly, his gruff voice becoming softer and more chipper, "We have been tasked by our boss to check magical potential in different regions of Fiore," His soft tone became more business-like and placating as he spoke, "We were on our way to another place when we spotted your lovely abode,"

"Well if my son agrees to this, I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to test him," Liz gave her approval, looking at her son for his consent to such a thing.

Jaeger looked at his mom before gazing at the two men, a familiar toothy grin spreading across his face, "That. Sounds. AWESOME!" He excitingly exclaimed.

The two robed individuals looked fondly at his excitement before the larger one pulled out a crystal ball the size of a fist. _'A lacrima.'_ Liz thought to herself. She remembered that lacrima are usually a magic tool of some kind, obviously, this one tested magic potential.

He put his hand forward, a warm look on what could be seen of his face, "Here, put your hand on this and it will see if you have magic potential," He said this as sweetly as he could achieve, trying to encourage the boy.

Jaeger hesitantly gazed at the lacrima before placing his hand on it. The lacrima glowed almost as soon as he touched it. A light the color of dark violet shone brightly from the ball of crystal. The glow then strengthened before it hit its crescendo, a light so bright it could blind erupted. Then almost as suddenly as the violet light appeared, it dissipated, leaving a rather plain crystal ball in the hand of the man. During the light show, his eyes had widened considerably, his black eyes open with shock. His partner didn't look any better, mirroring him with his blue eyes.

"Is that good?" Jaeger asked with uncertainty filling his now quivering voice.

The boy's sentence seemed to have broken the two out of their stupor. But their demeanor was no longer kind and soft, it was… dark. Liz was about to ask what was wrong when the smaller one pointed his hand towards her. A dark glow appeared before an equally dark ball shot from the outstretched arm. Jaeger could only watch in horror as his mother was hit in her chest. A look of pain was implanted on her face before her eyes glazed over. She fell to the ground with naught but a hollow _~Thud~_. A golden locket fell from her grip and hit the floor, in much the same manner.

Jaeger screamed, screamed with rage that no child should shoulder. He attempted to sprint towards his mother before an iron grip grasped his shoulder. He was picked up roughly and started to be carried out of his home. His eyes were streaming with tears as he cried for the man to let him go. The large man which held him merely marched onward as if nothing happened. Muttering something to himself, "Power… unimaginable… boy… perfect… potential…" Jaeger barely made out a few words before he felt something hit him hard on his neck. He went slack afterward, his body limply hanging off his captor's shoulder.

* * *

The two partners walked in silence before Oscar spoke up, "The boss sure will be happy about this one," He continued, "He has so much potential for lost magic, almost as much as his future roommate," Oscar snickered to himself thinking of that particular subject.

Xander chortled grimly along with his partner, "Her and now him… exciting, if I do say so myself," Merely thinking of the possibilities got him giddy as a small child.

 _'Yes, they will surely be of great use to us in the future. We merely need to… condition them a little.'_ Xander's inner thoughts once again left him laughing in mania. Leaving his partner to laugh with him.

 _ **All in a day's work**_

* * *

 **A/N: I hope what is done so far can be considered well done. This story has so much potential and I would despise wasting it. The point of this chapter was to obviously give some background and world-building to the story. To be honest, this is a story I will write to the end, no matter how people like it. But having you, the audience, enjoy it, would give me much-needed closure. Please review if you feel something needs more detail, more/better description, and anything else you would wish to instruct me on. I will edit these chapters with every five I post, so please, be patient.**

 _ **Sincerely,**_

 _ **Pixelatedwriter342**_


	3. Beware of He, The Puppet Master

**Beware of he, the puppet master**

* * *

" _Perseverance is not a long race, it is many short races one after the other,"_

 _-Walter Elliot_

* * *

Xander had not had a better week in _years_. He's always had a fairly stagnant line of tasks the master set out for him. But this week, his work ethic, his dedication, _finally_ paid off. He was given an important mission of finding a new subject of… _research_. When he was told that by the master himself, his elation was barely hidden beneath his cowl and cloak. Xander was also joyed, although he'd never admit it, to have his longtime partner, Oscar, with him.

 _'Speaking of Oscar'_ Xander glanced to his right and saw Oscar doing his best impression of a lovestruck schoolgirl. Pep in his step forcing him to almost _glow_ with excitement. He loves Oscar, he really does, but couldn't he be just a _little_ sane? The master always told him Oscar's tendencies offset his own, creating a perfect balance of unpredictable and methodical approaches. He couldn't agree more. Oscar has the firepower and the charisma, and Xander knew he was the brains. And, while he didn't like him at first, Oscar quickly became a friend that he knew he could rely on.

A fit of movement broke him away from his musings and reminded him of who he had on his shoulder. He looked to his left where a child was draped over him. _'One quick dose of magic from the ring should solve the issue of his awakening,'_ Xander idly mused, a small grin hiding beneath his purple cowl.

The ring in question was silver with a dull, round green jewel as its centerpiece. As he used the magic of the ring it emitted a green glow, a circle appearing above the jewel at the same instance. The circle was simplistic in design, a set of lines sectioned off from one another. Each set of lines seemed to alternate between clockwise and counter-clockwise. The lines themselves were arranged in a semi-circular pattern, hiding a single triangle in between each of the crevices and divots. The circle's rather sudden entrance didn't so much as make Xander flinch, his exposure to that very circle was commonplace, after all.

The stirring from his cargo stopped almost as soon as the spell was cast. With the ring's mission accomplished, the glow and circle that were there faded away. He then began thinking about his wonderful week yet again. The small form on his shoulder at the forefront of that line of thinking. _'That boy has similar potential to the Ice Empress' daughter'_ He thought with a vicious sneer on his face that replaced the grin that was there previously.

Xander believed him to be one of many keys to success. The master's goal has to be reached, and he was one of the few blessed with the knowledge of this plan. The master needs powerful followers to accomplish what simply _has_ to be done. And this boy is a perfect candidate, even if his part in this is to go to an ally of the master. ' _The… Balam Alliance? Yes, that's the name of it'_ This alliance, however precarious it is, allows a certain level of coexistence between followers of the dark. Although the likelihood there is more Xander should remember is high.

He was suddenly pulled away from his thoughts by his partner, "Hey, you in there Xander?" Oscar stated with a hand waving in front of his partner's face.

"Uh, sorry. What were you saying?" Xander said coming out of his inner thoughts.

"I _said_ , what magic do you think the little squirt 'll have?" Oscar gave his reply with mild traces of irritation, likely due to Xander's lack of attention.

Xander pondered on this for a small while before giving his response to the question, "Hmm, he has great potential for a form of summoning magic, if the color the lacrima glowed is any indication,"

Xander drew from his deep and rather vast knowledge of magical interactions within lacrimas. _Red_ was a clear sign of fire magic. _Blue_ meant that someone was attuned to a type of water magic; ice, steam, water, etc. But the more obscure the color, the more obscure the magic. _White_ meant light or holy magics came naturally. _Green_ meant some form of nature magic, usually seen in mages that use plant-life. _Violet_ , however, had _many_ magics that it could mean. Sometimes violet meant shadow or teleportation magic; said violets were usually light in hue. Whereas other times, when a lacrima like that glowed a dark violet it meant summoning magic, such as shade magic, was at play. When that boy's contact made it shine a violet brighter and darker than most he's seen, along with a slightly red tint, his excitement was so strong it was nearly tangible. That color could only mean a _powerful,_ or at least obscure, shadow/dark magic; indeed, the mere prospect garnered an absolutely _bubbly_ attitude from the normally stoic man.

Appraising the boy one last time he took note of his appearance. Black hair lightly cropped as to cover his head but not much further. Streaks of red in his black mop shined ever-so-slightly in the dim lighting of dusk. Small curves on the contours of his face that would give way to rigid and rugged features later on in life. _'The boy will certainly be attractive when he grows up_ … _if_ _he survives that is.'_ With a rather dark and dreary dampener to end his oddly pleasant stream of thoughts.

He focused on the present surroundings. The rolling hills of green had changed to a rocky plateau. Every once-in-a-while a scuttling rodent could be spotted between the stones they trod on. The sun that was once upon high had lowered itself gently below the horizon, only a scant glow could be seen emanating from where it set. A small pink glow being a beautiful send-off for the day almost past.

Xander looked around with a pair of keen eyes and spotted a good place to rest. He started to veer towards it and called to his partner, "Oscar! Let's set up camp for the night,"

Oscar looked around quizzically before he registered what was said, "Oh, found a place already?" Questioned the other half of the duo.

"Yes, I did. Now get over here you twit! And before you ask, No! That did not rhyme and nor did I mean it too!" Xander yelled in exasperation. Oscar's hand, that was poised in a ready stance, slumped forward as did his shoulders. Disappointment evident from the young man's form. Oscar eventually found his way to Xander's makeshift campsite, incoherent grumblings coming from his mouth as he did. A few stones that Xander had scrounged up found their way to a circular formation of their brethren. A few sticks, small logs more specifically, were stacked one atop the other as a small fire was threatening to torch them.

The poor pieces of wood didn't stand a chance.

* * *

Xander then found himself sitting across from Oscar; the fire, their only landmark of separation. He took a small glance to his left to see a lump of flesh sleeping peacefully within the confines of a sack of cloth. A rather quaint entombment of patchwork if Xander had anything to say about it. He spent time knitting that bedroll damnit!

Both he and his partner had slipped their cowl and cloak combo for a blanket and robe duo instead. Both being a similar shade of dark purple to their cloaks. Xander saw his partner's face once more. A young man, twenty-six or so, with black hair and brown eyes was seen. This was in stark contrast to Xander's facial features. A mature, grizzled face was the one that had taken place where the cowl had once been. His tame, short blonde hair propped itself on his head. A pair of blue eyes held treachery and experience that gave an air similar to that of a soldier. The air had turned cold, the crisp coolness working its way into their bones.

They had been sitting there for a few minutes before Oscar, bless his shivering, manic self, spoke up, "So, what's the plan when we get the kid back to the boss?" His question prompted an eye-roll and sigh before Xander responded, "We're going to hand him his newest subject before we take a good rest in some actual beds, then wait for orders. As per _usual_ Oscar,"

The man who asked the question pondered his partner's answer before nodding… and proceeded to sleep sitting up; not a muscle twitching from then on. Xander raised his hands from the warm confines of his blanket to rub his temples, attempting to nurse his growing headache. He loves Oscar, really, he _does._ But… there is never enough remedies for migraine on hand when his questionably sane compatriot is with him. He then shook his head with a small chuckle, before he too, went into the warm embrace of sleep.

' _Yes,'_ Xander thought as he looked at he and Oscar's cargo while said cargo slept, _'This has been a good week,'_

* * *

Jaeger woke up to the sensation of something, or more accurately; _someone,_ poking him. His eyes fluttered open and were greeted by a newly cloaked Xander. His cowl once again shielded the lower half of his face from sight. The man's dark blue eyes gleamed with something one could only describe as morbid curiosity.

Then Xander spoke, "Come on, rise and shine sleepy head! We have to get going," Jaeger had barely managed to catch what he said before he himself was hoisted up by his diminutive shoulders. He then felt a small _~Bump~_ on his rear before he realized he was placed on a mule.

The mule's grunt of effort the only tell that it felt the boy's weight. Jaeger's spot on the mule was its back. The brown leather being only slightly comfortable to the boy. His head was oddly fuzzy as he rode robotically on the mule. A lizard seemingly appeared in front of the mule, its response, buck like a bronco. Takes after his dad, that one.

Then from the shock of the sudden _jerk_ , Jaeger felt: like a freight train, memories emerged, no _burst_ , into Jaeger's mind. His mother clutching a locket before being blasted with a wad of malignant purple light. The locket dropping before revealing a picture of a man. His black and red hair combined with azure blue eyes made him a handsome youth. _'Father…'_ Thought Jaeger as he saw the picture for the first time in his life. His mother's corpse lying lifelessly on the carpeted floorboards. There was no blood, no scream, merely… _death_. Then he yelled out, as if his protest would help his now dead mother come back from her early grave. His hoarse cry of grief and pain was met with a loud slapping sound before he felt his mind succumbing to unconsciousness. These thoughts assaulted his mind while a lone tear drifted down from his right eye. If his two captors noticed, they did not care.

He quickly divulged into hysterics as he saw a structure in the horizon. A tower, not unlike those out of fairy tales, stood erect in the middle of the vast, flat plateau he had found himself in. Its thick stone walls were jutting out proudly as it watched over its domain. He knew, right then and there, he knew; his fate was already sealed. If the looks of recognition given to it by his captors weren't assurance enough, the smaller of the two spoke to him, " _This_ , little one, is going to be your home now. You here that? _Home_ ," The malice and venom were easily noticed by Jaeger, and would've been further thought on had Jaeger not seen something appear.

 **Congratulations! Encounter completed!**

 **You have gained:**

 _ **-2,540 exp**_

 _ **-1 level for each perk already attained**_

 _ **-New Title; 'Imprisoned' (will gain related perks**_ _ **after**_ _ **imprisonment)**_

 _ **-New Magic; Legion**_ _ **(will gain after**_ _ **?**_ _ **)**_

His stats then hung off to the side of his vision, detailing his current capabilities, however, limited they may be. The box colored a vibrant pink not out of place in a 4-year-old girl's bedroom.

 **Stats Profile:**

 **Jaeger Sygandr**

 **Level- 13**

 **Gender- male**

 **Age- 7**

 **Stats:**

 _ **Dex-(7)**_

 _ **Str-(2)**_

 _ **Cha-(15)**_

 _ **Wis-(13)**_

 _ **Int-(15)**_

 _ **Luk-(-1,000-Locked)**_

 _ **Mag-(3)**_

 **Stat points- 44 (Locked-Until Level 10)**

 **Perks/Talents;**

 _ **-Underneath the Underneath (level- 4)**_

 _ **A talent that gives one the ability to see lies, deception, and hidden nuances of what was said**_

 _ **-Observant (level- 9)**_

 _ **A talent that gives one the ability to perceive the world and what would have been stealthy actions, clearly**_

 **Note: Both** _ **Underneath the Underneath**_ **and** _ **Observant**_ **grow better alongside their levels and your Wis.**

 _ **-Cooking (level- 2)**_

 _ **Allows one to make foods edible or more edible, improves dex by +5 every 25 levels**_

 _ **-Reading (level-18)**_

 _ **Allows one to read familiar/unfamiliar text easier for each level, improves int by +1 every 4 levels**_

 _ **-Sprinting (level- 5)**_

 _ **Gives one the ability to go faster for a certain amount of time, improves dex by +1 every 5 levels**_

Jaeger then gave himself a scolding worthy of his now deceased mother. And vowed, _'I will forever, from now on, give_ _ **no one**_ _the satisfaction of knowing my pain. I will never more let the ones I love suffer from this pain. And I will_ _ **never**_ _give in to the darkness!'_

With his mindset, and will, hardened he readied himself for what was to come. Little did he know…

 _ **Who**_ , was the better term…

* * *

Xander gave himself a silent pat-on-the-back when he saw the kid go into absolute _mania_. Light chuckles rolled into bellowing guffaws at the latest subject's reaction. But then, he saw something in those small, golden orbs. Determination gave way to a hardened look and overall visage of steel. The brat, who had been moments away from a right and proper _panic_ _attack_ , looked _calm_. Xander tried to push away the sweat that quickly formed on his brow from this nigh bipolar shift. _'They usually don't… do that. Yeah, they don't do that.'_ His thoughts mainly consisted of this and other ramblings that tried to justify what had happened.

Oscar also seemed baffled by the change in the child's demeanor. If the absolutely befuddled look he gave the young boy was any indication. That very look almost made Xander go back to his previous chortling. To sum it in one word would be, priceless.

Xander then gave the boy a look of begrudging admiration. A grown man would have a difficult time coming to terms with his situation as the boy in front of him just did. Xander did not expect the brat to have a spine, but a spine he did have.

Then, he decided that the boy was interesting…

' _Yes,_ **very** _interesting indeed'_

* * *

 **A/N And that, my lovely readers, is the end of the prologue. Could I have condensed it into one singular chapter? Yes. Why did I not? Well, I felt it would help with the progression of the story if a segmented the chapters and prologue via length. The prologue has roughly 3,000 words a chapter. The regular** _ **chapter, chapters**_ **will have somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 words each, although the disparity between updates will be rather lengthy. And, please, do note that this is a mere hobby of mine that I do in my very infrequent bouts of free-time. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!**

 _ **Sincerely,**_

 _ **P.W**_

 **A/N Edits done at march, 18, I changed the magic and rectified a few grammar errors. Oh, and adjusted stat stuff.**


End file.
